Brian...You have to be both if you have your own business. One out of three small busines's fail after the first year because people do not have the proper education or business skills. Like it or not a karate school is a business. Running a karate school is no different than any other business. You are selling a service vs someone else selling apples, same business principles just a different product.

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The way of the warrior does not include other ways... Miyamoto Musashi
Schanne

Quote:Brian...You have to be both if you have your own business. One out of three small busines's fail after the first year because people do not have the proper education or business skills. Like it or not a karate school is a business. Running a karate school is no different than any other business. You are selling a service vs someone else selling apples, same business principles just a different product.

I agree. That's why I'll never make money off of it. I'M NO SELLOUT!!!

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The2nd ammendment, it makes all the others possible. <///<

Ok, so new question. Well its not so much a question but an opinion, I played this out in my head earlier.

(phone rings)

"Hello, (school name) this is Dannyl, how can I help you?"

"Yes, how much do you cost"

"Well, we have several different payment plans.. tell me is this for yourself or for a friend/ relative/ child"

"For myself"

"Ok, and what are your goals in learning martials arts"

"Well, I would like to get into shape and learn self-defense"

"Ok then, well our school teaches a wide variation of joint locks, kicks, punches (etc.) that will work the entire body as well as warm-up workout, why don't you come in for a free private lesson to try it out? We can discuss our various plans and see if it is something you would like to pursue"

...... then I would get there information if there intrested

I'm looking to be as honest as possible, and trust me I do care about much more than how much money they have.

If you called me, does my response come off as straight foward and sincere, or something else

Maybe you could add in a price range. Try saying something like, "Well we have several different plans that range from $30/month to $150/month all depending on how many times a week you want to come in. Tell me, is this for yourself/friend/relative/child?" You can still go with the other parts of your conversation. I would also have something typed up that has a breakdown of the differnt plans so when they come in they could see it and not have to memorize everything you say.

Casey

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"It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first."- Ronald Reagan

But if I'm looking to check out a class I want to see what other people are doing--what a class really looks like. See what other "newbies" look like and see what people that have been training a while look like.

I'd probably just invite them down to check out a class and if they like what they see let them "test drive" a class a later date.

Like I said I am probably coming from a completely different place--but a "private lesson" right off the bat would not really interest me--I'd be more likley to wonder what it was that you didn't want me to see until after you had me "on the hook" so to speak.

In my neck of the woods I run into far more people that have had "some" training than people that have never set foot in a dojo--even it was just as kids--they have some frame of reference.

Still having a hard time with the people that ONLY want to know "the cost."Don't generally have such interactions in my professional life.

From a business standpoint--as a rule--people that are shopping for goods and services ONLY on the basis of price--with quality and ulitity and long term value etc being esentially irrlevent to them--make poor customers--less interested in the good/service and more interested in a "deal."Its hard to do--esp when just starting out--but if your looking for long term profits then being selective in your choice of customers is important.

Unless your Walmart its hard to compete on "deals" there is always someone willing to cut their margins smaller than you are--always someone willing to take home a little less to get some business.

And BTW such people often end up poisening the well for other businesses.

Edited by cxt (02/15/0811:56 AM)

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I did battle with ignorance today.......and ignorance won.
Huey.

But if I'm looking to check out a class I want to see what other people are doing--what a class really looks like. See what other "newbies" look like and see what people that have been training a while look like.

Semi-private lesson may be the answer. What we did at my AKK school was to have prospectives come in to a regular class. They would then be split off with "their own" BB instructor. They would get the attention of a single instructor/student, but be in plain view of the rest of the class. After their lesson, they could watch the rest of the group, or whatever.

Worked pretty well for us.

_________________________"In case you ever wondered what it's like to be knocked out, it's like waking up from a nightmare only to discover it wasn't a dream." -Forrest Griffin

Good point MattJ, So I'm thinkin that combining the two is the most beneficial option. Lets say come in for an adult class, and give them a short intro private lesson into what exactly we do, teach one of our techniques.

Ok so while I'm picking your brains on it - Quoting cost

If we have a family plan, group plans, 6 month, one year (we never go above a one year contract) etc. Would I quote them along the lines of

"If your looking to get your family active in this, we have a special program where the price ranges $_________ depending on how many"

Gah..... no, let me think on this for a moment.

I'll have to ask what the different programs are, but in general

1) Get them intrested2) Ask for a little bit on info on them (taylor the program)3) Talk about which would best fit there needs

When I'm "making the deal" this is basicly the set up for how to do it.... do you agree?